Air Quality

Floyd County Government has partnered with the Clean Air Campaign in an effort to reduce traffic and protect our citizens from the harmful effects of air pollution. Clean air means a healthier environment for our citizens to work and play.

The Air Quality Index (AQI) is a measure of how clean or polluted your air is and what health effects might be a concern for you. The AQI focuses on health effects you may experience within a few hours or days after breathing polluted air. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) calculates the AQI for five major air pollutants regulated by the Clean Air Act:

ground-level ozone

particle pollution (also known as particulate matter)

carbon monoxide

sulfur dioxide

nitrogen dioxide

For each of these pollutants, EPA has established national air quality standards to protect public health. Ground-level ozone and airborne particles are the two pollutants that pose the greatest threat to human health in this country. Often, news media will report air quality as being a a color, such as orange or yellow. Below is a chart that shows just what those colors mean.

Air Quality Index (AQI) Values

Levels of Health Concern

Colors

0 to 50

Good

Green

51 to 100

Moderate

Yellow

101 to 150

Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups

Orange

151 to 200

Unhealthy

Red

201 to 300

Very Unhealthy

Purple

301 to 500

Hazardous

Maroon

What is The Clean Air Campaign®?

The Clean Air Campaign

motivates commuters to use other ways to travel to work, events, and school, such as carpooling, teleworking, vanpooling, taking transit, biking and walking.

partners with employers to develop customized programs that motivate and make it easier for their employees to use commute alternatives.

works with schools to educate and involve our next generation of citizens to participate in solutions to our traffic and air pollution problems.